88 How Can I?

(Jayden)

I punched the wall at the beach house. The impact sends a jolt of pain through my knuckles, but I don't care. Gordon Brown watches on, unaffected, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable.

“I can’t do this. I can’t hurt her like this.” I rub the pain in my knuckles away, the ache a distraction from the turmoil inside me.

“It’s the best way to get a real confession. Ashlyn has to believe you are on her side and against Winona. Winona has to believe that too,” Gordon says, his tone firm and unyielding.

“There must be another way. Winona won’t let on if she knows I’m pretending,” I argue, pacing back and forth, the tension in my body coiled tight like a spring.

“She also won’t react in the same way, and if Ashlyn gets a sniff of trickery, we lose the only chance we’ve got,” Gordon counters, his eyes boring into mine.

“What’s the next move?” I ask, stopping in my tracks and facing him.

“You take Ashlyn home,” he replies, his voice steady and unwavering.

“Home?” I echo, a se